by Paul Cooke | Oct 5, 2026 | AML Compliance
What if the key to AML/CTF Tranche 2 compliance isn’t adding checks to every engagement, but identifying which services bring your firm into scope? For aml ctf tranche 2 accountants, that distinction matters: obligations are linked to designated services, not simply...
by Paul Cooke | Oct 4, 2026 | AML Compliance
A digital identity check is only as defensible as the evidence and decisions behind it. For Australian accounting firms, verifying client identity remotely isn’t simply a matter of collecting details or asking a client to upload documents. Since 1 July 2026, AML/CTF...
by Paul Cooke | Oct 3, 2026 | AML Compliance
What if the ownership chart in a client file shows the structure, but not why your firm concluded that a particular person ultimately owns or controls the entity? Learning how to document beneficial ownership means linking each conclusion to the evidence behind it,...
by Paul Cooke | Oct 2, 2026 | AML Compliance
The lowest software price doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest AML implementation cost. For Australian accounting firms, the cost of implementing AML program requirements also includes staff time, processes and ongoing oversight. With Tranche 2 obligations in effect...
by Paul Cooke | Oct 1, 2026 | AML Compliance
A red flag is a prompt to look closer, not a verdict. Knowing how to identify a suspicious matter means assessing activity against the client, their stated purpose, known source of funds and the wider relationship. An unusual transaction may have a legitimate...
by Paul Cooke | Sep 30, 2026 | AML Compliance
An evaluator asks how a control works in practice, and your team has to piece together the answer from client files, spreadsheets and staff systems. The challenge isn’t simply finding a policy. It’s showing that the documented process is followed, evidenced and acted...
by Paul Cooke | Sep 29, 2026 | AML Compliance
A risk assessment is only useful if it changes what your firm does next. For Australian accounting firms, understanding how to conduct a money laundering risk assessment means looking beyond a generic score to the work, clients and processes that create exposure....
by Paul Cooke | Sep 28, 2026 | AML Compliance
AUSTRAC enrolment is a starting point, not the finish line. If you’re asking, “how do I enrol with AUSTRAC?”, first check whether your firm provides a designated service. AML/CTF obligations apply to specific activities, not automatically to every accounting practice...
by Paul Cooke | Sep 27, 2026 | AML Compliance
For Australian accounting firms, building an AML compliance program from scratch means turning requirements into a working system, not just a policy folder. A practical program helps staff complete client checks consistently, record why decisions were made and keep...
by Paul Cooke | Sep 26, 2026 | AML Compliance
A polished risk matrix isn’t enough if it doesn’t show how your firm’s actual exposure shapes its controls. A practical AML CTF risk assessment methodology starts with the designated services your firm provides, then connects the risks identified to evidence, controls...
